


First Time of Consideration

by BorkMork



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, I just really like these two okay?, One Shot, Soft Jock Steven AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21667627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BorkMork/pseuds/BorkMork
Summary: An encounter with a certain cheerleader at Connie's local café.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran & Steven Universe
Comments: 5
Kudos: 40





	First Time of Consideration

An expresso.

Five creams. One sugar.

Enough to bring enthusiasm into a person’s day, even if it meant that day was toiling with academics and personal grievance, which Connie Maheswaran definitely didn’t have. Not in the slightest. If she was, she would be more than welcome to groan and toil about than just complain about it.

Right. Maybe. She didn’t know if her mind was working with the caffeine, but at least she had an ounce of consciousness.

The cup of coffee sullen her mood, clasped in her hands as the piano music of the café reassured her mind that something will come out of this. A lone plate, crumbs strewn, with a rumple of ripped tissue were what remained of her sandwich. She just had to work on the pages in front of her—mathematics scattered like ants—and then she could have some peace. Maybe a muffin too if her mind wasn’t peckish.

“Connie?” The girl blinked, languid-eyed, as a new face sat down opposite from her. This was a café, of course, someone would take the seat opposite her, but _why would they_ was the question here. When the sleep wore off, and she saw who was actually in front of her, she got her answer: bushy-crowned, smile the icon of a million rays, Steven Quartz Universe (gem piercing and everything) was sitting in front of her. “You okay?”

The athlete spotting her at the local joint shouldn’t be a surprise. But it was. Enough to have her stare at him with unashamed stiffness, like she was viewing an anomaly alike to the Loch Ness monster. “What are you doing here?”

“I usually go here?” He responded, countenance morphing with his confusion. His hand placed down a sweet-smelling bag, wafting of sugar and chocolate. “The group loves to grab doughnuts before we hit the town, but when I saw you here, I thought it would be great to meet up.”

That’s a classic Steven Universe move. Out of everyone she has met in Ocean Town Academy, she never expected people to broaden their horizons over friendships other than their typical clique. It’s hard to talk to people so the fact that people such as Steven Universe exist in her university makes it harder to describe. Was it a coincidence that this charismatic boy has the biggest set of connections because of his preppy sports team? One could coin a conspiracy, but she’d like to think something was going on with his family, preferably lots of money or lessons in etiquette.

But, to be fair, she never really talked to him until both of them planned his astrophysics tutoring, being a soft-spoken young adult that didn’t look the type to be part of the rumors that tailed him. There were rumors of him, of things he’s done, or the plots his friends got involved in, mostly in road trips and orientation-exploring escapades with boys; not at all secure, yet intriguing to think about from an outsider perspective—it seemed like he attracted a lot of attention that she, herself, never had the gall to attain.

What was his secret? Was it just as simple as charisma and extroverted intent? Or was it all a mask like those 80s and 90s high school movies she kept jotting through when her parents weren’t home?

“Uhm, Connie?” She snapped out of it. Steven had his eyebrows skewed, looking at her like she just resurrected in front of him in an instant he pulled her back to Earth—which must’ve been the case, considering how confused he looked.

“Erm, uh, yes?” Great going, now he thinks you’re inattentive. Connie took a sip from her coffee, wincing at the slight burn on her tongue. “What did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to go hang out with me and the girls.” His smile beamed like always, but the question shook her to her core; leaving her wide-eyed and placid. “I want to get to know you better, and what’s better than a trip to a laser light show?”

“Right now?”

“Yep!”

He had to be joking. But can this boy joke with such tooth-rotting sincerity? It had to kill someone, eventually. “I don’t know. Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to disturb you.”

“It’s no biggie.” He said, Connie looking down to realize that he wasn’t in the cheering attire she’d seen him tow around. Instead, he was wearing a blue-yellow letterman jacket, cartoon t-shirt hanging between the folds like a snapshot. “We have a lot of room in Natalie’s van. I can help introduce you to everyone!”

What part of this world allowed this guy to stride on over to her and ask her to get into an anonymous van? She wasn’t that gullible. “I don’t think I’m comfortable being in a van with a huge group of people.”

“Oh, you don’t like getting squished?” He asked. And it was seeping of genuine intent, the innocence shielding him from the awkward contexts that hung over her words. “I mean, you can go into shotgun if you’d like?”

“I don’t think I’d like that either.”

“So, it’s a no then?” There was still some hope in his voice. Sweet and gentle.

She grimaced even more. “It’s a no.”

“Oh. Well, that’s okay.” Even with her reluctance and weariness, there was a part of her that winced over his voice. It revealed too much disappointment, like the intent wasn’t of malice but of something pure and simple—Connie wondering if her brain was on haywire or if the lights were too bright or if her tension got to him. She had no clue what made her feel so guilty at this moment. “I still would like to befriend you more, so I hope to see you at the library on Wednesday.”

Wednesday. The day when the first tutoring session shall begin. Pressing up her glasses, Connie affirmed to it, her tongue cotton. “I’ll have my schedule cleared up just for you.”

“Thanks, Connie, you’re the best!” He placed a solitary coco-glazed doughnut onto her plate, and then, giving her a quick and chipper wave, walked out with the rest of his pastries.

Eyeing through the café windows, she spotted the van in the vast parking lot—a cheerleader leaping onto him in a bear hug before the two of them disappeared into the vehicle. And with that, it buckled out of the parking space and drove out of her sight.

She huffed, continuing to eye the coffee lulling in her container. She wondered what would have happened if she accepted his offer. Would it have made a difference?


End file.
